25th Anniversary Restaged Tour

starryeyed wrote:Well SweetChristine, I am informed there has been even more changes since we both last saw it to fit in with Earl's Phantom. A bunch of things were changed yesterday to be performed from last night onwards which seem to be getting pretty good reviews (and seem to be liked by the cast too!)

I have tickets for a show that's scheduled to be Olivia performing as Christine so I am looking forward to seeing her. I can't quite put my finger on what I am slightly unsure of in regards to Katie's performance in the role but there's just something about her that doesn't scream "Christine" to me. I will however state that the power with which she uses behind the word "hate" in the Final Lair is something else entirely and the best out of any Christine I've ever seen performing the role, I just wish she could use that power in other aspects of the show.

Which more changes? Would you tell me after seeing the show?

Yes Katie can sing the word "hate" really good but that´s not enough for Christine.
Olivia is more natural in all the way she sings and acts.
I agree with you!

Yes of course I will.

If anyone from the boards is from Edinburgh or in the area and is a student you can now buy a student stand-by ticket on the day for £22.50, best available seats.

Sorry for the double post but didn't want to put this on the end of my last post.

I ended up going to yesterdays matinee mainly due to the fact I could get an amazing seat for an amazingly low price. I ended up in Row B of the circle and it was my first time seeing the tour from such a vantage point. I think the view contributed to the fact that, for the first time, I actually quite enjoyed the show. There are still the bits which I cringe at (mainly certain parts of MOTN though it seems different with Earl as The Phantom and PONR) but it was an all round good performance (in terms of acting) yesterday matinee.

In regards to the changes (there will be spoilers here) there was only 2 I noticed though some people class Earl's "Your voice is still mine" line as a change but he did that when I saw his opening night. The first of which is that now, after Think of Me when Madame Giry is talking to Christine and the ballet girls there are two stagehands one to the right and one winding up some rope. Now, the one winding up the rope was acting a tad "obviously shifty" so it wasn't too much of a surprise when on the "he will be pleased" he slightly turned and I thought I saw a glimmer of a white mask... later in the scene he turns a tad more obviously so you see the mask completely but I'm not sure anyone actually did notice it, as he walks off stage he holds the ropes in a manner to obscure the masked side of his face. The second change was that the blindfold in MOTN now comes in much much later, almost at the end of the song, I wish I could remember exactly the point but it's slipped my mind now. I was hoping they'd completely removed it but alas, I guess Christine needs something to react to later during PONR they feel.

I had an understudy (Rosie Bell) on for Carlotta and I liked her a lot. She is an absolutely tiny woman, very very petite with a rather pretty face (with her brown wig I actually thought she could have made a good Christine) and in some scenes I actually found myself more concentrating on the fact she made the costumes look rather pretty. Anyway, I digress, but on a costume related note her "Notes II" costume didn't have the purple accents that Angela's does. She couldn't really due to her size and relative meekness play the overbearing opera diva interpretation (which I know people like and I guess Carlotta is supposed to be) so she played it in a more conniving fashion. I thought her interpretation was great. I also really enjoyed watching her in DJT. Most Carlottas that I've seen will just join in with the others and can sort of become lost in the scene however she was really going for the "I cannot believe I am having to perform with THESE people in an ensemble scene" angle and when one of the ensemble pushes past her she gave them such a look I was surprised they didn't turn to stone. She was really half heartedly raising the goblet as if she'd really rather be elsewhere, I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, she nearly had a mishap in Il Muto. I noticed as she was doing the "croaking" and walking further back that the back of her costume really did seem rather long and she was stepping on it a fair amount, as she ran off I saw her trying to kick it out the way but she stepped on it again and nearly fell flat on her face, she recovered well and I guess it fits in the context of the scene. My heart did stop for a moment though.

Yesterday was the first time I also really picked up on the "you'll guard me and you'll guide me" line after All I Ask of You. I've never thought much of it but Katie delivered it in a sort of mocking tone almost half laughing as she said it and I then remembered that, of course, "Angel of Music, guide and guardian..." I liked that Earl clearly picked up on it and when he made his "entrance" he sort of looked at where she'd been standing as if to say "b****!"

I'd expected, being in the circle, being able to look forward to all the "glass" falling on the audience and having a chuckle to myself at their reactions. I could not have been more wrong. Being in far closer proximity to the chandelier in the circle I got a face full of "glass" that was actually rather forceful, I jumped about half a mile out of my seat and everyone around me jumped as well, it clearly must lose momentum by the time it reaches the stalls. I had my hair up in a bun and it wasn't until halfway through the second act I realised I had a massive piece lodged right into it... sigh.

I still don't like Masquerade, but still like the "entranced crowd" aspect of the DJT rehearsal and as I said previously PONR still makes me cringe a bit with all that table dancing. The Final Lair though managed to completely finish me off, I just don't know how Earl has the energy to be able to look so emotionally worked up throughout the whole thing. I can't even pin-point what it was, just a combination of everything but I was rather emotional during it which I was surprised at. I think I'd managed to sort of block out all the crazy set pieces etc yesterday and just concentrate on peoples performances and it almost seemed as if it was just a very, very good show at Her Majesty's.

Anyway, I have rambled now but to sum up yesterday Earl firmly cemented his place as my favourite Phantom (he used to be tied with Scott Davies, sorry Scott ha) and Rosie Bell worked her way up my list of favourite Carlottas so it was all in all a good day. Everyone else was rather good as well though I think Simon's Raoul works far better in the London production than the tour. The tour allows him more opportunity to do Angry!Raoul and I think it becomes a tad overbearing at times, in the context of the London production it seems to work better. Katie had improved a tad from last time I saw her though she is very hit and miss on whether she hits the notes at times, which is a rather important part of playing Christine.

ETA: Strangely, in some scenes, the new Phantom wig makes Earl look like David Shannon, it's a bit unsettling.

In regards to the changes (there will be spoilers here) there was only 2 I noticed though some people class Earl's "Your voice is still mine" line as a change but he did that when I saw his opening night. The first of which is that now, after Think of Me when Madame Giry is talking to Christine and the ballet girls there are two stagehands one to the right and one winding up some rope. Now, the one winding up the rope was acting a tad "obviously shifty" so it wasn't too much of a surprise when on the "he will be pleased" he slightly turned and I thought I saw a glimmer of a white mask... later in the scene he turns a tad more obviously so you see the mask completely but I'm not sure anyone actually did notice it, as he walks off stage he holds the ropes in a manner to obscure the masked side of his face.

This is yet another thing where the general concept is okay, but the execution sounds messed up. If they're going to do this "Phantom in disguise" thing I'd rather they not be so obvious about it--just have a stagehand whose face you can't see and then just let the audience think "Wait...was that...?" (Frankly I'd rather not have them do the bit at all as the "disembodied voice" is a classic aspect of the Phantom's supernatural facade, but at least that way they could keep a little bit of mystery about it.)

I had an understudy (Rosie Bell) on for Carlotta and I liked her a lot. She is an absolutely tiny woman, very very petite with a rather pretty face (with her brown wig I actually thought she could have made a good Christine) and in some scenes I actually found myself more concentrating on the fact she made the costumes look rather pretty. Anyway, I digress, but on a costume related note her "Notes II" costume didn't have the purple accents that Angela's does. She couldn't really due to her size and relative meekness play the overbearing opera diva interpretation (which I know people like and I guess Carlotta is supposed to be) so she played it in a more conniving fashion. I thought her interpretation was great.

I like the idea of Carlotta being on the petite side (I've long thought Kristen Chenoweth should play her). The thought of this little woman bowling over all the men around her with the sheer force of her voice and attitude just amuses me.

~LCD

Oh, you've reminded me of yet another reason I wasn't entirely sold on that part, the disembodied voice still plays while he is there winding up the rope etc so once you realise it is him you are thinking "wait a minute, he's right there." It could have been done well, as you say if the execution was correct and to be quite frank it reminded me a lot of the Phantom washing the bar mirror in LND.

Another thought that came to my mind during the show was, in the dressing room scene, when Christine is alone, she unties the dressing gown to "admire herself" in the mirror. It was only yesterday that I thought to myself "if a voice was giving me lessons through that mirror I wouldn't be standing half naked in front of it."

I don't think Christine necessarily knows where the voice is coming from in the room. And whilst she still thinks it is not a man, she would be aware that an angel would be very present during all moments of her life.

@starryeyed: Thank you for your review. He done all the things as I saw him. I really love Earls Music of the Night. Much more feeling and understanding. I always smile when Christine shows herself in the mirror . I love the new production and still miss it. I have plans for Liverpool next year.
Earl made me emotional from the beginning through the end. I felt so sad and touched by his performance.

Starry Eyed, thank you for very interesting thoughts on the UK tour!

I saw the touring production on Saturday. I saw Earl Carpenter as the Phantom, Katie Hall as Christine and James Bisp as Raoul with Rosie Bell as Carlotta. I'd forgotten just how amazing Earl is as the Phantom, he's definately my favourite. I agree with Starryeyed about Rosie Bell, she was an incredible Carlotta. I loved that she took a slightly more understated approach, but still managed to carry off the diva. Of the Carlottas I've seen, she's definately one of my favourites. I'm so pleased I got to see her. The other performer who stood out for me was Elizabeth Marsh as Madame Giry. I absolutely adored her. Amazing authoritive presence and a lovely mum/daughter relationship with Meg. She definately became of of my favourite Girys. Everyone else was good. I enjoyed the production in general. I loved the transition between the auction scene and the Opera House. The Phantom's disappearance at the end was pretty cool too. The chandelier "fall" was a bit of a disappointment, obviously. I missed the original staging of Masquerade/Why So Silent, although some of the costumes were pretty, others, not so much.

I decided I wanted to see Olivia Brereton as Christine and of course Earl again, so I went back on Monday. I saw Earl Carpenter as Phantom, Olivia as Christine and Simon Bailey as Raoul, with believe it or not, Rosie Bell as Madame Giry! Olivia was a wonderful Christine, lovely voice and acting, and she worked very well with both Earl and Simon. I've always liked Simon's Raoul. Angela M Ceaser was very good as Carlotta, she's got the perfect voice for Carlotta and played the comedy very well. Rosie Bell played Mme Giry very well. Nice Giry attitude and incredible voice. I preferred her as Carlotta, though. Earl was even better that he'd been previously.

Rosie Bell seriously just needs to start touring a one woman Phantom show or something!

Nice to see your thoughts (though I sort of knew them already) and I completely agree with them.

One thing I'd forgotten to mention which is costume related is I noticed a few 'nods' to strengthen the mother/daughter bond between Meg and Mme. Giry. All the ballet girls have different coloured shawls they wear, all are rather 'bright' colours but Meg's is black. Could be a coincidence but if it's intentional it's a pretty neat, subtle touch. I also noticed that the shawl Mme. Giry wears in Masquerade is the same colour as Meg's jacket too. I do like little subtleties like that.

Profits are up at Cam Mac Ltd. Was this austerity Phantom really needed?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/citydiary/9649381/City-Diary-Theatre-king-Sir-Cameron-Mackintosh-keeps-his-hit-business-in-the-family.html

http://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/local/phantom-chandelier-set-to-dazzle-audiences-at-milton-keynes-theatre-1-4405283

Would it really hurt to at least make the new tour Chandelier look like it's a finished set piece...

the new photo of Earl in MOTN, something just looks very wrong there

Where's the photo?

was on their official site, but i dont have the URL here now

From the notes to the Les Mis film:

Mackintosh is currently presenting a highly acclaimed new touring production of [Phantom], which was launched in the U.K. in March 2012 and will tour America in 2013 and 2014.

Does that mean that a version of the UK Tour is gonna travel around America? I actually would love that...haven't had a solid touring Phantom since John Cudia!

purplehaze93 wrote:Does that mean that a version of the UK Tour is gonna travel around America? I actually would love that...haven't had a solid touring Phantom since John Cudia!

What other possible interpretation of that sentence is there?

I was asking if it was going to be the same as the UK Tour, or if it was going to be like the traditional US Tour version lol. Quite a valid question if i may say so.

It says that CamMac launched a new touring production in the UK which will tour America, so....

I suppose the real question is whether the new tour will come to the US in the form that we have seen from photos and such, or if it will have been modified (perhaps in response to audience reaction) in any way for whatever incarnation ends up touring here.

Also, if we're talking about touring as early as 2013, I would imagine there have been some casting offers made, or at least auditions held. (Will have to scroll back in this thread to check since I haven't posted in a while)

~Madame~

Yes, that is the real question. And yeah, I think there have already been auditions, and maybe even casting offers. I think someone posted something about both awhile back. Word has been leaking in the press.

(Scorp, your post is Tumblr famous, btw! -- Regarding the 'new tour')

Anyway, joy to the world. I wish we'd get a completely different tour design over here. The UK one looks so tacky. Or, better yet, they should just bring back the original.

It was announced a while ago that the new UK tour would be the version coming to the US. The official site had a a page back in late September where it mentioned "...the spectacular redesigned tour currently making its way through the UK, and soon to the US...." So I considered that to be pretty much a confirmation that this new production would indeed be the one touring the US, however that isn't to say they wont make changes, let us hope. The thing is US audiences (and I don't mean this in an ill way) are a bit more 'spoiled' when it comes to musical theatre, and I don't foresee some of these changes being as happily accepted as they have been in the UK, even by just the average theater-goer.

StrangerThanUDreamt wrote: The thing is US audiences (and I don't mean this in an ill way) are a bit more 'spoiled' when it comes to musical theatre, and I don't foresee some of these changes being as happily accepted as they have been in the UK, even by just the average theater-goer.

Is it 'spoiled' of me to want a chandelier crash and a real Red Death costume? Oh, and no pillowcase ballet costumes?

~Madame~

That's my point, lol and I'm with you on all of those; that is why I didn't mean it in an ill way, because the only versions that have been here in the states are the Broadway, original US tour, and Vegas; all of which have been grand productions. If we get an actual chandelier crash, a REAL Red Death, and tweak some of those costumes; I don't think the new design would be all that bad. But as it stands now I still personally consider the new production a downgrade; and I think US audiences will notice.

StrangerThanUDreamt wrote:That's my point, lol and I'm with you on all of those; that is why I didn't mean it in an ill way, because the only versions that have been here in the states are the Broadway, original US tour, and Vegas; all of which have been grand productions. If we get an actual chandelier crash, a REAL Red Death, and tweak some of those costumes; I don't think the new design would be all that bad. But as it stands now I still personally consider the new production a downgrade; and I think US audiences will notice.

I do agree with this. If the show wasn't on Broadway, I think people would be a bit more open to the designs and the staging, but it still would get backlash. (I saw Camelot in 2007 with Michael York, the columnist for our state's newspaper could not stop bringing up the sets from the Burton/Andrews one in his review. They are still pretty iconic.) But the fact remains, the show is on Broadway, still, and it's become some what of an iconic piece of theatre on 44th street. I think a lot of people are going to be bummed when they find out that it's touring but they're not seeing the show that's on Broadway in this moment.

StrangerThanUDreamt wrote:That's my point, lol and I'm with you on all of those; that is why I didn't mean it in an ill way...

No worries, STUD. I was just playing along.

Though yes, truly, I expect more than what the UK Tour has to offer if I have to plunk down like $100 to go see it.

~Madame~

Hello all,

I saw the show in Cardiff last night (from Box A, right next to the stage, nonetheless) and enjoyed it immensely. It's very much the same show I saw back in May with JOJ, with a few tweaks here and there; not enough to warrant a full review, but here are some thoughts / observations:

• Earl has definitely improved vocally since London 06-07 (the last time I saw him) which is fab, but his interpretation has changed from pitiful, shy to a more confident, relaxed Phantom. I'm sure this is down to direction though

• His vocal sounds like a cross between JOJ and Ramin

• Journey to the lair still the most impressive scene. I noticed last night there is a safety wire the actors can hold onto while descending the staircase, something I hadn't picked up on before.

• The blindfold comes out on the second bridge ''Let your mind start a journey'' and is attached on ''Beeee!'' which is a bit...obvious direction... then it comes off at the ''power of the music of the night'' when Christine is running her hand up his arm, to his mask. It's on for such a short time, it's quite pointless. I wish they would just drop it.

• I can't remember if JOJ did this or not, but before Phantom removes his mask in STYDI, he is seen writing his next Note and sealing the envelope with hot wax from the candle stick. The rest of the scene played out exactly as it did before.

• The Phantom still had his stagehand bowler hat on when hanging Bouquet. It looked a bit naff!

• Raoul and Christine acting like teenagers after AIAOY.. quite cute, as if they're drunk on love. Raoul climbs the statue and proclaims his love in a very playful fashion, and yes, Christine delivers the ''guard me, guide me'' line very melodramatically, as if they're mocking the Phantom. It works - just about.

• Phantom has a cape in Maquerade!!! Which he swooshes!! Woo-hoo! we're getting there...

Everything in the second half was pretty much exactly the same from there on, really, including the Christine Smackdown on Raoul before Twisted Every Way - my favourite new detail, I must admit. The Final Lair was very strong last night, mostly down to Earl's acting. He really brought out that pathetic, vulnerable side of the character. The image of him alone with just his music had me in tears at the end, although I didn't like the new direction of him delivering ''Christine, I love you'' with his back to her, so he doesn't even see her reaction. And why is Raoul just standing there like some jealous boyfriend the whole time!? Its quite distracting. He also lingers around to look at the Phantom after Christine runs away, which is just plain weird! Tech fault last night: the fireball which releases Raoul from the lasso didnt go off... still effective though! as if he did it by magic, haha! There were a few little 'magic' touches added in, come to think of it. E.g. the Phantom commanding the door to the lair to close during the descent and gesturing the boat in. So I guess they're trying to make him more etheral, but still it (the production) lacks the gothic majesty of the original overall, which is detremental to the story. I hate that so many people interact with the Phantom and he just walks around everywhere, like a normal dude. But Earl did a pretty good job last night, fair play to him. Oh, I was close enough to make out the deformity this time too. Its mainly around the eye and head. No lip deformity at all.. It also looks like his ear has been chewed off. Its not as dramatic as the original.

So, my opinion remains unchanged. A treat for the eyes at times with some wonderful performances, but not a patch on the original. Just a decent bit of entertainment.

PEACE!

The image of him alone with just his music had me in tears at the end, although I didn't like the new direction of him delivering ''Christine, I love you'' with his back to her, so he doesn't even see her reaction. And why is Raoul just standing there like some jealous boyfriend the whole time!? Its quite distracting. He also lingers around to look at the Phantom after Christine runs away, which is just plain weird!

Yeah, the Phantom really needs to deliver that line to her--the fact that it's the last thing he ever says to her, at the moment where it's finally 100% true, is just so wonderfully and dramatically appropriate.

I kind of like the idea of Raoul having a moment of--I'm not sure "sympathy" is the right word for it, but where he realizes a man who is capable of this selflessness isn't the complete and unrepentant monster he thought he was. If that makes sense.

~LCD